Gregg Davidson

Summary: An layered approach to the meaning of Genesis 1, focusing on what this reveals about God and God’s intentions for the flourishing of his creation and the human beings created in God’s image.

Genesis 1 is often the focus of controversy over scientific theories of origins and how to reconcile these with the biblical account. The two authors of this book, a geologist and an Old Testament professor, think that in doing so, we miss the richness of this account, and more than that the glory of God and the wonder of God’s creation. More than that, they contend that this account is so meaning laden that it may only be fully grasped in a layered approach that approaches scripture from different angles or through different lenses. They defend the idea that this multi-layered approach is both consistent with biblical inerrancy and sound hermeneutics, arising as it does from exegesis of Genesis 1 itself.

They identify seven layers to which they devote a chapter to elaborate. The layers are:

1. Song. Many have noted the poetic character of Genesis 1, yet it defies poetic forms known elsewhere in scripture. The authors note the formlessness of creation and how days 1-3 give it form, and they note the emptiness of creation and how days 4-6 fill what God has given form. Noting all the repeated language in the days, they contend that this well may have been a sung account in which the beauty of the text reflects the beauty of the Maker.
2. Analogy. The form of a week of seven days, of work conceived, executed, and appraised, the bringing of order from disorder, and the rest on the seventh day serves as an analogy that teaches us the goodness of work, that celebrates creativity, and serves as the basis for keeping the sabbath rest.
3. Polemic. Genesis 1 is polemic. It shows there is no god like the LORD. The LORD has no backstory, no company of gods. Creation by intent and not accident. God sustains humans; they do not sustain him.
4. Covenant. While the word is not used, the framework of covenant is evident: a suzerain-vassal, a royal land grant, blessings and curses, and loss of the land grant for disobedience.
5. Temple. They note the many parallels with other Ancient Near East texts of gods and their temples in the language of Genesis: a garden on a mountain facing eastward, cherubim that guard the entrance, the tree of life (lampstand), the tree of knowledge, the mentions of lands with gold and gemstones, the source of rivers, and most of all, a place of God’s dwelling.
6. Calendar. In addition to the creation week structure, the mention of the luminaries in day four to be “for signs and appointed times,” and “for days and for years.” This look forward to the yearly calendar of festivals that follow planting and harvest and commemorate the great events of the Exodus.
7. Land. The land prepared for the first couple and lost, anticipate the land promises to Israel, their fulfillment, and the land lost in exile, and the hope of restoration.

Many of these layers are both rich in themselves and anticipatory of future works of God. The authors admit that not all the arguments for a particular layer are strong, but the cumulative case for the layers is. For me, the argument for “calendar” seemed the most tenuous, and yet not without basis.

I’ve long believed that to teach any important biblical truth, you have to start with the early chapters of Genesis. This book underscores this truth by demonstrating how so much that we see in the scriptures is evident in one or another of the layers of Genesis. The authors uncover rich treasures in Genesis that have nothing to do with origin controversies and everything to do with God and God’s ways. Manifold beauty indeed!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.… (plus d'informations)

Friend of Science, Friend of Faith: Listening to God in His Works and Word by Gregg Davidson

Review by G. Alford

Gregg Davidson in his book Friend of Science, Friend of Faith shows how he is a friend of both, and how anyone taking the time to consider the material that he presents can likewise be a “friend of Science” and a “Friend of Faith”. The subtitle suggest the direction the book will take when we read: “Listening to God in his Works and Word.”

It is unfortunate that in this day and age any believer should be deluded to think that there would ever be a conflict between the truth of God’s word and the truth revealed in God’s works. But it is the fact that there are those who promote an either/or view and they also tend to be ones making the loudest noises and getting the “popular press” in too many “Evangelical” churches. Thus before Gregg can proceed at all he has to address the issue and he does so in Part 1 under the heading: “Conflicts New and Old”.
The first chapter then is called “Setting the stage---Crisis of Faith” and in it he sets the scenario of a college student facing this false dichotomy of either “what the Bible teaches” (according to what her church has taught) or what she is learning about “evolution” according to the science facts that are being presented.
In this context then the author says that the objectives of the book are two-fold.
1. “The first is to develop a general approach for addressing apparent conflicts wherever they may arise, in a way that honors Scripture and honestly engages science. “
2. “…is to apply the approach to the current discord on origins to see what may be learned.”

For the most part, the titles of each part or section along with the chapter headings will give the gist of what is developed.
For instance chapter 2 continuing in “Conflicts New and Old” is simply titled: “Historical Context--- Heliocentrism vs. Scripture”.

Part 2 then in addressing “The Meaning of Scripture” looks at chapters 3 through 5 under the following: “Nature and Biblical Inerrancy”, Beginnings--- Matthew and Genesis, and then Genesis --- Inside and out.”
Part 3 asks the question: “Conflict?” and answers “Does Modern Science Conflict withScripture?” under sub headings: “The Origin of the Universe: Ex Nihilo”; “The Origin of Life: ‘Brought Forth from the Earth’; “The Origin of Man: ‘Dust from the Ground’”; “Death and the Fall”; “Noah’s Flood”; and “Genealogies and the Time Since Creation”.
Part 4 under the heading: “The Credibility of Modern Science” takes up 4 chapters to address “Confusing Science and Philosophy”; “Questions of Age---Universe and Earth”; “Evolution and the Origin of Life”; and then “Origin of Man”.
While Dr. Davidson has had to face the presentations of Young Earth Creationism and anti-evolutionary thought throughout it is in the final part, “War of Words” that he has to get very particular as he looks at how these schools of interpretation use, or misuse terms. So chapter 11 speaks about “Creation Science---Behind the Curtain”. Chapter 12 outlines the “Dawn of the Young-Earth Evolutionist”. Chapter 13 looks at the attempt to dress up “religion” or “philosophy as science under the chapter heading: “What about Intelligent Design?”
He closes the book by appealing to an “Opening Doors” and brings us back to the college student and her “dilemma” and how churches and preacher/teachers might work to solve this supposed conflict and encourage resolution so that we might have strong people of faith working in the field of science to advance this noble goal of Listening to God in His Works and Word.

My impression as a lay person reading through this book was that Gregg Davidson first of all sets out to tell his reader what he is going to say. Then he presents all the facts with very detailed visual illustrations and clear verbal descriptions, and then he gives a summary and restates the major points in abbreviated form.

My further impression is that he makes his presentation clear enough that any layperson who has an interest at all in understanding the Scriptures and Science, while they may have to think and ‘work at connecting the dots” should not suppose that they are in any position to argue against evolution or to promote Young-Earth Creationism if they cannot follow his presentation at this level.
I guess that if I were to say it as clearly as I would like I would say that anyone who defends YEC or goes on an anti-evolution rant or crusade but cannot grasp ---and accept --- the evidences presented here, they really have “no business” even opening their mouth as though they have any basis for “argument” or “discussion”.
Dr. Davidson is too kind to say this in so many words but I declare that YECism verges on cultic dogmatism and I would hope that this book would serve to “rescue” those caught in its web. His footnotes and bibliography are extensive and there is no reason why any honest seeker after truth could not follow up with their own research or confirmation that his quotes are “in context” and factual.… (plus d'informations)

Summary: Shows how we can trust both the witness of scripture and the findings of science as we consider God’s works.

Gregg Davidson begins this account with a story I’ve sadly observed in too many college settings. A students has been raised with a particular interpretation of the Bible’s account of beginnings and all sorts of “answers” to the challenge of evolution. Then she discovers that the real evidence for evolution far more extensive, and that the supposed “objections” to evolution were groundless in light of the actual evidence. A well meaning youth minister brings by a book defending a literal, “plain sense” reading of Genesis, but the student finds it riddled with inconsistencies, misconceptions and false assertions. Forced to choose between science and the interpretation of scripture presented her as true and authoritative, she walked away from her faith, her Bible ending up in a landfill.

Davidson is saddened by this because he is convinced that most of the science versus faith conflicts are needless battles. He proposes three important questions where science and the Bible seem in conflict:

1. Does the infallibility of Scripture rest on a literal interpretation of the verses in question?
2. Does the science conflict with the intended message of scripture?
3. Is the science credible? (p.23).

What Davidson does is illustrate, first with the historic case of heliocentrism, and then in much more depth in the accounts of origins how Genesis may give a true, but not literalistic account of origins that would have “rung true” for it original hearers and readers who would have been baffled by the concordist efforts to reconcile a literal reading with observed evidence. He then shows that in fact science does not clash with the intended meaning of scripture that affirms a universe that emerged ex nihilo, life that arose from the earth, and humans from the dust of the ground, and the evidence of a massive flood in the known world of the Bible.

Having contended for the trustworthiness of biblical accounts, and that read in terms of their intended message, they needn’t conflict with science, Davidson, a geologist by training, turns to the question of the credibility of the science of beginnings, summarizing in wonderful detail both cosmological origins, and the geology and origins of life on earth. He shows the problems the evidence poses for flood geology. He also addresses the objection raised by many of the lack of transitional forms, demonstrating that while this was true at one point, we now have great evidence for these forms in the fossil record showing transitions from dinosaurs to birds, reptiles to mammals, mammals to marine whales, and the origins of human life.

One of the most challenging portions of this book for those who advocate “creation science” is how Davidson exposes the rhetorical moves used to advance this cause: false dichotomies, the twisting of terms, the misapplication of scientific principles like the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the misleading ways of telling half a story, the use of distractions, the cherry-picking of quotations, and outright wrong and often outdated information. Some do this from sincere conviction, and I appreciate Davidson’s graciousness with those who do not agree, and his commitment to Christian charity and fellowship with those who differ. But he also challenges others who uphold a particular mode of creation at the expense of truth. The cause of truth and righteousness is never advanced by falsehoods. Their efforts are also misdirected. They become creation evangelists, rather than what Davidson would hope for, people with particular beliefs of what is true who can acknowledge those who read Genesis differently and then say, “so what do you think about Jesus?”

He discusses the intelligent design movement, and the difficulty of arguing for the activity of God in the places evidencing design not yet explicable by science. He confirmed what I’ve long felt that the things we do understand argue as much for the Creator as what we do not, and that to put our emphasis on the inexplicables is to worship a shrinking God, rather than a God, the grandeur of whose work only grows as we understand more of it.

Gregg Davidson represents a growing number of Christians in science who are convinced both of the inspiration and authority of the Bible and the credibility of the results of scientific research. As his title suggests, he is an advocate for a better conversation, a better relationship between science and faith, a friendly rather than adversarial relationship. In this book he makes a strong case from both scripture and science that this is possible, and that adversarial approaches, whether by Christians, or by atheists like Richard Dawkins, are needless, wrong headed, and harmful.

There are people on both sides of the “battle” who have built personal followings and empires that are sustained by the perpetuation of this battle. I frankly hope that Davidson’s book contributes to the opening of the eyes of many to recognize that “the emperor(s) have no clothes,” that they should no longer be heeded, and that former enemies might become friends–friends both of science and faith.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.… (plus d'informations)

Gregg Davidson PhD is a scientist—in particular a geologist—and a Christian. He believes in an ancient world, evolution, and Scripture. And he brings these beliefs into perfect harmony in this science-and-people-friendly book. The science is very real, with enough explanation and diagrams to satisfy a moderately real scientist from a moderately different area of expertise. Meanwhile the examples and illustrations are perfectly keyed to draw in readers with readers of many different backgrounds. The book is a moderately easy and truly thought-provoking read, whatever your science or faith position.

Clever analogies invite the reader to see things in different ways. Intriguing diagrams add immediacy to tables and examples. Fascinating historical details add depth to modern debates about faith and science, creation and evolution, and more, frequently giving answers to questions this reader, for one, has always wondered about. I love how the author’s well-chosen illustrations make the complexities of serious calculations both readily accessible and truly exciting.

At the end of the book, the author addresses particular arguments made against evolution and an “old earth.” Giving space to the arguments allows the reader to effectively listen in on a debate. Giving answers to them prepares the reader to answer those disagreements we so often hear from neighbors and friends.

Science is real, and so is faith. The author gives well-argued answers to wrong interpretations of science, and well-reasoned direction to our interpretation of Scripture. The net result is a scientifically rigorous view of the world God created, meshing perfectly with theology, faith and hope. Concluding that “Truth never needs to fear the open discussion of ideas,” the author offers wise answers for those young Christian students of science who suddenly find the world might not be as they imagined—instead, it works and changes exactly how God created it to do!

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book and I’m now recommending it to all my Christian friends, whether or not they accept evolution and an old earth, in hopes that perhaps they will recommend it to their scientist children and grandchildren.… (plus d'informations)